What the Peeper Saw

In this stylish and atmospheric psychological thriller, a wealthy author’s wife’s comfortable life turns into a terrifying nightmare when her young stepson starts exhibiting strange behavior. The fiendish child is out to destroy all the trust and love between his father and stepmother with his surreptitious pranks. Horror unfolds as the boy devilishly plots to drive a wedge deeper and deeper between them. But is the child really a fiend, or is he the victim of his neurotic stepmother’s paranoia?

This “Sincere western…” (according to Leonard Maltin), set in 1848 California, stars Patrick Wayne as a lawman with high morals and co-stars Dennis Hopper as a rebellious gunslinger. Hopper goes on trial for killing a young Mexican, which tests the American system of justice in the newly formed state. Produced by John Ford’s son, who brought together an excellent supporting cast of Hollywood extras. Features a great western score, with composer Dimitri Tiomkin and songwriter Ned Washington garnering a Best Song Nomination at the 1959 Academy Awards.

U.S. Air Force pilot Dan Duryea becomes a logical suspect after his English wife is shot and killed in her apartment. With only 36 hours to find the real murderer and clear himself before he must reporting for flight duty, Duryea doggedly sets out to learn the secret of Terror Street. From Hammer Films. 1954|84 min|B&W|1.66:1/widescreen|NR

Move over, Ed Wood: In the Fabulous Fifties and beyond, no producer-director-writer worked the bottom of the genre barrel quite like Jerry Warren. Have a multi-megaton blast with this trio of Warren’s battiest Z-movie bombs.

A native of LaLaLand, Jerry Warren (1925-1988) grew up in the shadows of the studios aspiring to work in show biz, and did – first as a movie bit player and then, behind the camera, as a triple-threat (and we DO mean “threat”) sultan of shoestring schlock. From Abominable Snowmen and Teenage Zombies to Batwoman, “Nobody Does It Badder” than Warren, who achieved towering success at living up to his moviemaking motto: “I never, ever tried in any way to make anything worthwhile.”

HOUSE OF THE BLACK DEATH (Blood of the Man Devil): Warlock Belial Desard (Lon Chaney Jr. with forehead horns) and his brother Andre (John Carradine) battle for dominion over the creepy House of Desard, which includes Andre’s son (Tom Drake) who thinks he’s a werewolf. This HOUSE is a result of one group of hack filmmakers making half a movie and a DIFFERENT group of hacks unsuccessfully attempting to finish the job. Complete viewer bewilderment is unconditionally guaranteed! 1965|89 min.|B&W|1.85:1 (widescreen)|NR

ATTACK OF THE MAYAN MUMMY: A doctor tells a newspaper editor (via flashbacks) about a research center’s experiments in hypnotic regression, conducted on a young woman who describes (now in flashbacks WITHIN flashbacks) a previous incarnation among the ancient Mayans in Yucatan. Meanwhile, and somehow related, a long-haired mummy prowls 20th-century streets! “Momia Azteca” Mexi-madness collides with Jerry Warren framing scenes in this jumbled jamboree of science and the supernatural! 1964|87 min|b&w|1.85:1 (widescreen)|NR

CREATURE OF THE WALKING DEAD: A scientist steals his grandfather’s body from a mausoleum and, in a secret lab, uses the blood of a kidnapped girl to resurrect him; Gruesome Grandpappy takes it from here. This Mexi-melodrama was later “Hollywood-enhanced” by the addition of new Jerry Warren-directed footage in which junk-film favorites Katherine Victor and Bruno VeSota pretend to be part of the other proceedings! Many grisly touches and a great, bombastic score highlight the original Mexi-movie. 1964|74 min|B&W|1.85:1|NR

Alastair Sim’s tour-de-force performance as the ultimate miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, has almost single-handedly made this beloved version of Charles Dickens’ story into one of the best-loved Christmas films of all time. Some of Britain’s best filmmakers united behind Sim, who was joined by a delightful cast of accomplished and acclaimed English actors; creating what many today believe to be the best and most faithful production of Dickens’ immortal tale. Cranky and curmudgeonly Scrooge learns the error of his unkind ways and is taught the true meaning of the holidays when he is visited by the ghost of his late business partner and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future. This Blu-ray edition has been digitally restored from a new 1080p, 24fps high definition transfer master produced from the 35mm negative and fine grain.

INTRODUCTION BY LEONARD MALTIN “DEAD TO BEGIN WITH: The Darker Side of A Classic”- An all-new documentary exploring the films bleaker themes and how they rivaled London of the 1950’s. Featuring British film historian and culturalist Sir Christopher Frayling. (25 mins)

“SCROOGE BY ANOTHER NAME: Distributing A Christmas Carol”- An all-new featurette detailing the American release of this British holiday classic. Featuring US distributor Richard Gordon. (10 mins)

“THE HUMAN BLARNEY STONE: Life and Films of Brian Desmond Hurs”-An all-new documentary chronicling the awe-inspiring life of Ireland’s most prolific filmmaker. Featuring Allan Esler Smith, the great, great nephew and biographer of Hurst. (40 mins)

A SCHOLAR S VIEW – video narrative by Fred Guida, author of A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations (35 mins)

SILENT DICKENS a collection of early examples of Dickens on film. (includes HD: Scrooge -1922, Bleak House 20 mins)

BONUS DVD!

Bonus DVD Copy of “A Christmas Carol”

“CAMPBELL PLAYHOUSE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL”- A digitally remastered version of original 1939 radio dramatization, narrated by Orson Welles and starring Lionel Barrymore. AUDIO ONLY (54 mins)